An Unexpected Love: Catching a Killer

by tarskeewee08

(Evangeline's POV)

"Hi, do you mind helping me into that wheelchair, I'd like to go visit my sister she's on the same floor" I said to the smiling nurse who appeared when I buzzed for assistance.

The nurse gets the wheelchair Mike left for me in the corner of the room and brings it over to my bed. Lowering my bedrail I move my legs over and she grabs my arm while I push myself off. Smoothly she directs me to the chair and I settle into it comfortably.

"Thank you"

"No problem" she says wheeling me out of the door.
Once in the hall I grab the wheels and set my pace. The nurse tells me to call if I get to weak to push back. I nod and head down the empty hallway, its after 10pm and visiting hours are over. The nightshift is really light and I'm hopeful that Lay is awake so we can talk. I just need to know if she is okay. Turning the corner I look up to see someone is black trench pushing through her door. The woman's silky black hair shines and falls around her face blocking it from view.

Before I can call out she goes inside. Wheeling myself quicker, I reach the door and push it with my hand. It opens slowly and I see Layla asleep in her bed and the person messing with her IV "Hello?"

Turning Adrianna looks at me shocked and drops the syringe in her hand. "Adrianna?"
Layla stirs and looks up surprised. Adrianna trapped decides to charge straight for me. I push back seeing her coming and the maniacal look on her face. She pushes out shoving my wheel chair and I slide back into the wall. Holding on tightly afraid I will tip, I hear Layla scream as body bounces in the chair without falling.

"Bitch!" Adrianna hisses and runs past me. I'm too shocked to say anything. I watch her run for the exit side door and I hear Layla screaming my name inside. The door is closed so she doesn't know what is going on in the hallway. She must have pressed her nurse button because three of them coming running down the door. They look at me confused.

"Call security! Someone tried to attack my sister!" I stutter still shocked at everything that unfolded.

One of the nurses comes to me asking if I'm okay. I yell at her to call security quick I know who the person was. She nods and runs back down the hall as I push my way back to my sister's door. Going inside of it I see her being helped back into bed. Apparently she tried to come to help me but was too weak and collapsed on the floor. Looking down I see the syringe has rolled under the bed.

"There's the syringe Adrianna tried to use. I caught her trying to hurt my sister!"
The nurse turns and looks at me confused as the other tries to calm Layla. Stepping back she looks under the bed and sees the syringe retrieving it.

She holds it up to the light and I look at it horrified that I might have lost Layla if I hadn't come down the hall. Rolling myself over to her phone I reach for it to call the police as security comes in.

"Where's the disturbance a burly, bald, older black man ask in a baby blue uniform."
Covering the phone with my hand I tell him a description of Adrianna and which exit she left out of. Layla crying looks over at me "Evangeline are you okay?"

"Yes baby…."
"LPD what's your emergency…"
"I'm calling from Llanview hospital, a patient was attacked and we need the police here immediately."

The officer takes all the information and assures me that units will be dispatched immediately. Michael walks in seeing Layla crying reaching for me while I'm on the phone.

"What's going on?"
"Mike, Adrianna was here and she tried to attack Layla." I say hanging up the phone and reaching for my sister's hand.
"What? Are you sure?" Mike says looking at the nurses.
"Positive….I caught her."

The nurse comes over to Mike and gives him the syringe. Mike smells it and frowns. "What was she doing with this?"
"Trying to inject it into her IV drip….what is it?"
"It smells like ammonia" he says confused.

"That bitch!" Layla hissed
I rubbed her hand. "Calm down sweetie."
"Calm down? That psycho brat tried to poison me! If you hadn't showed up when you did Van I would be dead"
"Did anyone call the police?" Mike asked
"Yes they're on the way."

Security runs back inside. "I didn't see her I'm going to go check the surveillance cameras; maybe we can get a description of the car."

Mike looks at him and nods then turns to me. "Van, you have to go back to bed"
"What!"
"You heard me, your pressure is high enough….how you keep getting caught up in these dramas escapes me. I promised my brother I would protect you and I plan on doing just that. I need you back in bed."

"I'm not leaving Layla!" I say shaking my head.
Layla squeezes my hand. "Evangeline, please take care of yourself I can't have anything happening to you or my niece. The police will be here soon and I will call Rex, he'll take care of me."

I look at her lovingly. "I'm so sorry sweetie that you had to go through this. So sorry"
She smiles "Its okay I swear"
Mike comes behind me and wheels my chair away from the bed. My fingers slip from hers and I look back fearful. I have a bad feeling about this entire situation. Why on earth was Adrianna trying to kill my sister? Was she the person causing these horrific accidents?

(John's POV)

"So is it our time to talk yet?" Natalie hissed sitting on the edge of the bed
I look at her and roll my eyes. "Leave Natalie…"
"Same ole John, you can talk to your father's ghost or Caitlyn but never can say anything to your true victim. Me!"

Placing my head in my hands I try to force her out. Dr. Jamison said that I could take drugs to stop these visions but I don't want to go that route. If I am going to do it then I need to exercise these demons drug free. I can't become a slave to that too.

Raising my head I look at her glaring at me "Okay let's talk"
She smiles "About time.."
"What do you want to know?" I snap
"First why did you come to me that day in Llanfair and tell me that you were ready to move on with me and then turn around the very next week and move on with Evangeline?"

"Is that what you want to know or do you want to know why I chose Evangeline period?"
"Fine why her and not me!"
"That's easy Natalie, Evangeline gave me a fresh start. She gave me a chance to be whole"
"And I didn't?"
"No you couldn't….I felt to much guilt over the death of Christian"
"You mean kidnapping…"
"Yes kidnapping…"
"The one you covered up!" she smirked
Closing my eyes to her taunts I swallow my anger. "He asked me to"
"Bullshit! You covered it up so you could have me. So you could use me to keep Evangeline away. You did it so you could play god!"

My eyes fly open to the accusation. "I never wanted to be god."
"John you put yourself up on the cross every chance you get. Sacrifice for your happiness, sacrifice your love, sacrifice your sanity for any victim within 50 miles."

Scowling I clench my fist "So you admit to being a victim?"
"I admit to being whatever you wanted me to be to fulfill your needs."

The comment cuts me deep and my breathing becomes labored "I never meant to use you…" I stammer

"But you did, over and over again!"
"I'm sorry"
"Maybe you are but sorry isn't enough to drive me away"

Raising my eyes I look up into her cold dead blue ones "Then what will it take?"
She smiles cruelly "Boy are you fucked up!"
I blink surprised at the crude remark "What?"
Rising off the bed she steps into the shadows "If you want me gone then let me go!"

With that said she disappears into the darkness in the corner of the room. I sit up and hear her in my head over and over again. What does she mean let her go? Am I still holding onto her? Even now?

Blowing out a heated breath I come off the bed and go to the window in my room. Looking out into the darkness at the countryside that surrounds St. Anne's I think of Evangeline. She's in the hospital now fighting to bring our child into the world healthy. My time is short. I have to be there for the birth of my baby. I have to be with her period. Sighing I think again on what Natalie said. I need to let her go.

Evangeline once told me that I needed her to need me. She was so right. But how do I address the need to be needed? Where does it come from? Slipping my hands into my pocket I lean against the window seal and look up into the full moon. I wonder if anyone needs me tonight.

Llanview Hospital

(Evangeline's POV)

"Why do you keep asking me if I was sure it was her! I saw her dammit! God I wish John was here he would know what to do!" I say falling back on my pillow

Mike touches my hand gently "Evangeline, their just doing their jobs."
"Mike that crazy girl tried to hurt Layla. She could come back. Instead of questioning me they need to go LaBlue Lai and wake up the Cramer household!"

Mike looks at the officers. "Have you guys checked with security? We have cameras on all floor and exits."

Officer Vaughn nodded "I have two men down at security now."
Evangeline cut her eyes "Well then you will see that I'm not lying. Adrianna Santi tried to kill my sister tonight" I say snatching my hand from Mike, I think of John and how he is always around to handle these crazy situations. Now he's gone and I'm pregnant in a hospital with a madwoman on the loose.

God I need him. How I wish he was here. Closing my eyes I hear the other officer's return saying the woman never lifts her head to the camera and they can't tell who she is due to her dark clothing and hair. Officer Vaughn wants a man outside of both the Williamson sister's door and someone to go with him to LaBlue Lai.

Mike rubs my shoulder "It will be alright Van"
"I miss him Mike"
"I know sweetie….we all do"
Crying softly to myself I feel my baby stir and I shift uncomfortably on my side. This is so hard and I feel so alone. He's going to be in that place for 3 weeks and I don't know if I can take it. Hearing my mom come into the room I keep my eyes closed as she talks to Mike. I don't want to talk to anyone. I just want my man back.

St. Anne's
(John's POV)

"John.."
Rolling over in my sleep I open my eyes to see the man I killed at the age of nine. Jumping up I gasp and scoot back on my bed.

He laughs "I've been dying to get you to invite me to the party John!"
Shaking my head and covering my ears I try to force him away. I hear his laughter and can't control my pain. "No…" I say weakly
"Yes…it's time me and you talk!"
"I'm glad you're dead!" I scream out spittle flying out my mouth and my face sweating with rage.

My father's killer steps into the room where the moonlight gives a clearer view of the hole in his head "No you're not! You regret shooting me and you hate yourself for your own weakness. You're supposed to feel good about killing your dad's murderer but you don't. You feel guilty!"

Shaking my head no "I did what I had to do to save everyone's life."
"No! You were supposed to go home Johnny! If you had your dad wouldn't have been distracted and he would have me as the ghost not you!" the man said laughing loudly

John cried softly with his head down. "I was supposed to go home…" he says weakly through his tears.

"John…"
Shaking his head slowly crying he kept repeating himself "I was supposed to go home…"
"Son look at me…"
Raising his head he sees his dad smiling at him. Wiping at his tears he smiles weakly. "Dad…Daddy…"
Thomas McBain goes to his son's bed and sits on it looking at him lovingly "Son, you were so brave that day."

"I disobeyed you."
"Yes and you ended up saving Ms. Oswalt's life…"
"But I caused your death…" I say crying harder now.
"No…that wife beating scumbag is the person that caused the events of that day. You're just as much a victim as the rest of us. You saved his wife and I will forever be proud of you."

John looks at his dad "You will"
"I will"
Wiping at my tears I swallow my pain. "What do I need to do Dad?"
"Forgive yourself"
"Myself?" I ask confused
"Yes son, forgive yourself for not going home that day. Forgive yourself for not catching Steve Haver sooner. Forgive yourself for causing the kidnapping and torture of Christian Vega. Do that you're free."

Nodding I look at my father. "And if I forgive myself will I be able to let you all go?"
Caitlyn comes out of the shadows "Yes baby and we will let you go"
Looking at her I feel better, I love her so much and I know now loving her was the best part. I will remember that instead of her lifeless body in my arms. "I love you Katie…"
"I love you to John," she says coming to me and touching my face "You are going to be a wonderful dad."

Nodding I lean back into my bed and roll over welcoming sleep, tonight was a new beginning for me. I feel the release, and I look forward to the fresh start. I'm learning to let go.